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Thursday, October 2, 2014

EBOLA: RISK CLASSIFICATION / DEFINITIONS

Case Definition for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)

Early recognition is critical for infection control. Health care providers should be alert for and evaluate any patients suspected of having Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

Person Under Investigation (PUI)

A person who has both consistent symptoms and risk factors as follows:

Clinical criteria, which includes fever of greater than 38.6 degrees Celsius or 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and additional symptoms such as severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or unexplained hemorrhage; AND

epidemiologic risk factors within the past 21 days before the onset of symptoms, such as contact with blood or other body fluids or human remains of a patient known to have or suspected to have EVD; residence in—or travel to—an area where EVD transmission is active*; or direct handling of bats or non-human primates from disease-endemic areas.

Direct contact with a dead body without appropriate PPE in a country where an EVD outbreak is occurring*

Low1 risk exposures

A low risk exposure includes any of the following

Household contact with an EVD patient

Other close contact with EVD patients in health care facilities or community settings. Close contact is defined as

being within approximately 3 feet (1 meter) of an EVD patient or within the patient’s room or care area for a prolonged period of time (e.g., health care personnel, household members) while not wearing recommended personal protective equipment (i.e., standard, droplet, and contact precautions; see Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations)